JOSEPH A. GARCIA/THE STAR
Royal High School's Justin Anderson (left) and teammate Weston Park (right) try to get the ball away from Westlake High School's Grant Lozoya (middle) in a Marmonte League match at Royal High on Tuesday night, February 5, 2013.
02/05/2013 Simi Valley, CA

Ventura County Star

JOSEPH A. GARCIA/THE STAR
Westlake High School's Grant Lozoya (left) gets double teamaed by Royal High School's Weston Park (middle) and teammate Scott Woods (right) in a Marmonte League match at Royal High on Tuesday night, February 5, 2013.
02/05/2013 Simi Valley, CA

Ventura County Star

JOSEPH A. GARCIA/THE STAR
Royal High School's Kevin Habroun (left) tries to stop Westlake High School's Isaiah Brooks from taking a shot in a Marmonte League match at Royal High on Tuesday night, February 5, 2013.
02/05/2013 Simi Valley, CA

Ventura County Star

Royal High’s Scott Wood makes a pass while being guarded by Westlake’s Larry Bush during Tuesday’s game. Westlake won and now clinch the Marmonte League title on Thursday.

Ventura County Star

All Grant Lozoya needed was a peek at the rim.

His rainbow 3-pointer to close out the third quarter over the outstretched hand of a defender was just the spark the Westlake High boys basketball team needed to outlast host Royal, 75-69, Tuesday night.

"His hand was right in my face, but I got a little glimpse of it so I put it up there and it went in," Lozoya said.

The top four teams in the Marmonte League standings — Westlake, Thousand Oaks, Calabasas and Royal — had defended their home court all season. Westlake changed that by repeatedly penetrating and getting to the basket.

More important, Westlake (21-4, 11-2) put itself in position to secure the Marmonte League title outright Thursday at home against Calabasas.

"We're in a good position," Westlake coach Rob Bloom said. "We control our own destiny. That's where we want to be."

Westlake got to this position by withstanding multiple pushes from the veteran Royal squad.

Lozoya's 3-pointer gave the Warriors a three-point lead entering the fourth quarter, 55-52.

The teams went back and forth over the first half of the final period with Royal's Kevin Habroun providing a boost on a variety of post moves and a drive to the hoop for six points.

With the teams tied at 60-60, Habroun picked up an offensive foul, said something to an official and was called for a technical foul.

Westlake sank one of two free throws, Royal (18-7, 10-3) turned it over and Lozoya sank two more at the charity stripe for a 63-60 lead. Westlake continued to expand its advantage from there, with Marcos Soto making a layup in the key off a Lozoya assist for a 66-62 edge.

Four straight free throws upped the lead to 70-64 and Royal played catch up the rest of the way.

Larry Bush sparked Westlake's offense with a game-high 23 points. Lozoya came through with 18 points and Joshua Brooks had 17 points.

Max McCoy and Austin Carr had 19 points apiece for Royal.

Westlake had a one-point edge, 33-32, at halftime but both teams came out firing in the third quarter.

The Warriors led 47-44 when McCoy found his shooting stroke for Royal.

McCoy drove inside for a bucket, hit a pull-up jumper and then hit consecutive 3-pointers from the right wing.

His last long-distance shot knotted the game at 52-52 before Lozoya's quarter-ending 3.

"McCoy hurt us, but only for a stretch," Bloom said. "He didn't hurt us the whole game."

Westlake had been in position to secure an all-important road win before. The Warriors had an 18-point lead against Thousand Oaks on Jan. 29 before surrendering it in a 58-56 loss.

This time, the Warriors held firm.

"For us, it's about moving and sharing the ball," Bloom said. "We get selfish really easy. Against Thousand Oaks in the second half, we just started jacking the ball. We've been working all week on just ball movement and player movement."

Lozoya is already looking forward to securing the Marmonte League crown on Thursday.

"We have a chance to win it all by ourselves," Lozoya said. "I'm really stoked about that."